The driver and other occupants of high performance cars, planes, boats and other vehicles (collectively, “vehicles”) typically wear equipment designed to reduce physical harm during use of the vehicle but especially to reduce physical harm during sudden deceleration, torque or impact of the vehicle. Standard pieces of such equipment include a helmet to reduce head injury and a shoulder harness attached to the vehicle for restraining torso movement relative to the seat and vehicle.
It was long ago realized that the neck undergoes various motions and loads during deceleration. In response, various devices have been developed in an attempt to reduce the amount of motions and loads experienced by the neck during deceleration. Additionally, devices have been developed to transmit loads from the helmeted head to the torso in an attempt to reduce neck muscle fatigue and extreme head motions. While these devices may reduce neck muscle fatigue and extreme head motions, they may also lead to other problems.
Generally, present head and neck devices that have proven to be variously effective in reducing the forces on an occupant's neck by restricting the extent of motion of the head with respect to the torso rely on a restrictive force being carried partially or fully to the torso. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,638,510 and 6,009,566 to Hubbard describe a head and neck support device with two tethers that are attached between the respective sides of the device user's helmet and a collar of the head and neck support device. The head and neck support device has a yoke integral with the collar that is configured to fit around the back of the user's shoulders, adjacent the neck, and on the front of the user's chest. The yoke defines a forward facing opening so that the user can put on the head and neck support device by placing their head and neck through the opening. In a further aspect, the upper surface of the yoke has a frictional material placed on it so that the vehicle seat belts can hold the yoke in place. This inhibits forward motion of the device and assists in overcoming the forward forces of the tethers pulling at the top of the device by the head/helmet and by the chest and shoulders dragging on the underside of the yoke.
The configuration of the two tethers of the device disclosed in the '510 and '566 patents allows the user a limited range of side-to-side rotary head motion. However, the user may desire an even greater range of rotary head motion in some instances. Thus, what is needed is a head and neck support device that effectively reduces the potential and actual forces acting on the user's neck, while allowing the user a greater range of rotary head motion.